Connacht Tribune journalist Dara Bradley received a Merit Award at the 2025 Justice Media Awards held at Blackhall Place in Dublin last week.

The Bearna man scooped this accolade in the Print/Online Journalism (Local) category for a news feature with Galway District Court Judge Mary Fahy before she retired from the bench after more than 31 years.

The article, ‘Judge Mary Fahy – reflections on a lifetime ruling from the bench’, appeared in the Connacht Tribune and Galway City Tribune last December.

It was commended by the Law Society’s panel of judges, who said: “The journalist stood out for showcasing important judicial work from the lens of a judge. This was a well written and warm interview that provides readers with a greater understanding of the role of a judge and the workings of a court room.”

The annual awards are organised by The Law Society of Ireland to promote the highest standards in legal journalism.

They also aim to foster greater understanding of the law and legal system; and to inform and educate the public as to the roles in society of the law, courts, law enforcement agencies and legal profession.

Around 140 journalists from print, online and broadcast media organisations across the island of Ireland attended the awards ceremony.

Another Bearna journalist, Frank Greaney, was honoured in the Broadcast Journalism (Radio, National) category for his work with Newstalk’s Anton Savage Show for an item entitled ‘Everything You Need to Know About Conor McGregor’s Court Defeat’.

Oranmore-based Business Post journalist Killian Woods was honoured in the Print/Online Journalism (Sunday) category for his article ‘Ireland, Coke and Uncle Sam – Inside the Drogheda firm Coca-Cola used to ‘hide astronomical profits’ and funnel billions to a tax haven’.

President of the Law Society, Eamon Harrington, said the record-breaking number of entries this year showed that the standard of Irish legal journalism remained incredibly high.

“For almost 30 years, the Justice Media Awards have been a great source of pride for the Law Society, but they are only as strong as the quality, tenacity, and dedication of the journalists who apply each year and the stories they tell. Over the past five years, entries to the awards have doubled, with a 20% increase this year from 2024,” Mr Harrington said.

“From seasoned national and local reporters, podcasters, broadcasters, newcomers and students, there is every reason to be optimistic about the future of Irish legal journalism,” he added.

Pictured: Honoured…Connacht Tribune journalist Dara Bradley.